by John Ellis I’ve stopped being surprised when new acquaintances[1] steel their gaze, purse their lips, and then begin their forthcoming monologue with, “Did you know ….?” Those monologues have “taught” me all kinds of things about Dr. Fauci, the Clintons, sex trafficking of children, the global elite and their place in the “swamp,” CRT, … Continue reading Conspiracy Theories Are Part of the DNA of Evangelicalism
Author: practicallyknowntheology
Theories of Aesthetic Distance and the (probable) Need to Reform Corporate Worship
by John Ellis Our church does a good job of providing a well-rounded Sunday school “curriculum” for adults. Class topics not only serve to glorify God and edify the students (and presumably the teacher), but the classes are also thought-provoking and practical. Starting this past Sunday, my wife and I began attending a class on … Continue reading Theories of Aesthetic Distance and the (probable) Need to Reform Corporate Worship
‘Let’s go Brandon!’ Further Validates My Rejection of White Evangelicalism
by John Ellis On the way home after dropping the kids off at school, my eyes were drawn to a large bumper sticker on the car in front of me. Shouting “Let’s Go Brandon!” the sticker existed in conflict with the “In God We Trust” stamped on the vehicle’s license plate. Almost immediately, a pithy … Continue reading ‘Let’s go Brandon!’ Further Validates My Rejection of White Evangelicalism
(Why) Supporting Donald Trump Is a Violation of I John 2:15
by John Ellis (Included in this article are links to several other articles I’ve written. If what I write below seems poorly fleshed out or even confusing, I urge you to click on the links provided. As I explain below, for the sake of time, I’m (probably unfairly) assuming a certain level of acquaintance with … Continue reading (Why) Supporting Donald Trump Is a Violation of I John 2:15
The Hubristic Folly of Apologetics
Paul sharing the gospel at Mars Hill. by John Ellis (note: Early this morning, before beginning work on the final edit of this article, I opened The Gospel Coalition’s website and then clicked on and read “Not Your Typical Apologetics Book”. The article is an interview of Gavin Ortlund by Matt Smethurst about Ortlund’s new … Continue reading The Hubristic Folly of Apologetics
Which Side of the Political Aisle Should Christians Feel at Home With?
USA - 2012: Hector Casanova illustration of the Democrat donkey and Republican elephant on a seesaw with the plank breaking in the middle. (The Kansas City Star/MCT via Getty Images via Getty Images) by John Ellis By all accounts, society is fracturing. The talking heads and our eyeballs tell us that society has split apart, … Continue reading Which Side of the Political Aisle Should Christians Feel at Home With?
Understanding Systemic Racism and CRT: A Christmas Wish List
by John Ellis With Christmas around the corner, many of us are busy updating our Amazon wish list or simply compiling a “Dear Santa” list the old-fashioned way. To the best of my knowledge, most of my friends stock their lists with books. To help determine some edifying books to include on your list, below … Continue reading Understanding Systemic Racism and CRT: A Christmas Wish List
My Daughter, Virginia Woolf, and Kids Disagreeing With Their Parents
by John Ellis For a project in high school, I wrote an editorial calling for my school to drop the school uniform policy in favor of a policy allowing students to wear the clothes of their choice (with the understanding that there would still be a dress code). Since my school didn’t teach rhetoric and … Continue reading My Daughter, Virginia Woolf, and Kids Disagreeing With Their Parents
How Long Shall the Wicked Prosper?: A Competing Narrative of the United States of America
Digital image of original artifact. by John Ellis Yesterday morning before Sunday school class began, the young man teaching asked about my t-shirt. “What kind of flag is that on your shirt?” “It’s the A.I.M. logo,” I replied through my mask. His expression revealed that “A.I.M.” wasn’t translating through the double-ply cotton. “The logo for … Continue reading How Long Shall the Wicked Prosper?: A Competing Narrative of the United States of America
Facebook Fact Checkers, Foucault, and the Far Right
by John Ellis This article is my diagnosis of why it’s increasingly more difficult to have profitable conversations with friends and family who are on the other side of the debate about things like COVID (masks and vaccines), social justice issues, whether the election was rigged or not, and the myriad of other cultural hot … Continue reading Facebook Fact Checkers, Foucault, and the Far Right